Hand-delivered from Istanbul to Moscow by my boss (thanks, Jim!), the brown half liter bottle is stout like a keg, with a short neck coming out the top. The label is deminimus - clear with yellow print stating "Fici Bira" ("draft beer") and a yellow line forming the leading edge of a bird in flight to the left of the letters. A Turkish friend assured me this is different from the regular Efes Pilsener just as MGD is different from Miller High Life. OK. All of the writing is in Turkish, but I'm told the ingredients conform to the purity law. No freshness date.

Pours a clear slightly yellow gold under a 1.5 finger white head that fades pretty quickly to film and collar. No lace. The nose is pretty pleasant, of sweet bready grain. The mouth is a very standard light and well-carbonated. Smooth, pretty standard lager taste here - sweet barley, slight floral hops bitter. The bad news is a soapy undertown, fleeting but disturbing. The aftertaste is mild, mainly dry and not particularly long-lasting. It's OK, but not much more than that.

TASTE: Honey, barrel/wood sugars, helles malts, pils malts, honey malt sweetness, and faint pollen-y hop notes. It's balanced, albeit simple, and has a nice rounded flavour profile with plenty of cohesion. There are hints of sassafras which lend it interesting nuance and help it stand out compared to other pilsners.

Not a gestalt build, but a pleasant one. There isn't much intricacy or subtlety here, and it has only an average depth of flavour, but it's enjoyable to drink the plain honey-dominant flavour is nice. Average duration and intensity of flavour.

This texture suits the taste well. Nice presence on the palate overall.

Not gushed, hot, boozy, astringent, harsh, rough, scratchy, or oily.

OVERALL: It's a nice pilsner with an interesting honey emphasis. I like it and would consider getting it again. One of the more interesting Turkish brews I've tried so far. It isn't boring like many beers in the style. Highly drinkable. Definitely above average.

Modest head, very crisp and clean, altogether better than average euro swill. More of a German flavor but not really a Pilsener. Hops are restrained but tasty-- floral, citrus. Definite bitter aftertaste and quite refreshing. Nice body and mouthfeel for a light beer.